Game 1 Box Score - PDF | HTML
Game 2 Box Score - PDF | HTML

TEMPE, Ariz. – The Portland State softball team split a pair of games to open its 2015 season at the Kajikawa Classic hosted by Arizona State in Tempe, Ariz. The Vikings defeated Nevada 9-7 before falling to Fresno State 6-1.
 
Sophomore transfer Rayleen Pallan led the Vikings on the day going 3-for-8 (.375) with a run scored and two RBIs. She also had one of the Vikings' 13 walks on the day. The Vikings walked just 83 times in all of 2014.
 
Aubrey Nitschelm went 1-for-5 for the day with two runs scored and two walks. She also hit her first home run of the season against the Wolfpack.
 
Game 1 – Portland State 9, Nevada 7
 
The Vikings got on the board in the top of the first inning with two runs. They scored both runs on bases loaded walks as they walked five times in the inning. The Vikings walked nine times in the game. Their single-game high last season was six. 
 
Pallan and Lexi Goranson walked to leadoff the game. After the first out, Alex Flores walked to load the bases. Nitschelm then walked to drive in the game's first run. Two batters later, Brianna Celaya walked on five pitches to drive in the second run.
 
Portland State's lead did not last long as Nevada took the lead with a four-run inning. After a Nevada double to leadoff the bottom of the second, Portland State starting pitcher Meagan Hendrix was lifted for Kristen Crawford. The Wolfpack added two more runs in the bottom of the second two go up 6-2.
 
After giving up a run in the second, Crawford settled down and threw four shutout innings allowing just two hits.
 
Flores reached on a fielding error by the first baseman to leadoff the top of the third before being lifted for pinch runner Mackenzie Bourbanis. Nitschelm walked for the second time to put two runners on. Three batters later Candice Orozco walked to load the bases for Shae Nelson. Nelson reached on another Nevada error, this time by the short stop, scoring Bourbanis from third.
 
Pallan singled through the left side to drive in Nitschelm from third to pull the Vikings within one run at 6-5.
 
After a pair of 1-2-3 innings from Crawford, Celaya led off the top of the fifth with a single up the middle. Orozco then grounded the ball to the second baseman, who went to second but an errant throw allowed Celaya to reach safely.
 
Nelson doubled to right center to drive in Celaya to tie the game and get Hendrix off the hook for the decision. After Orozco scored on a wild pitch, Pallan drove in Nelson with a grounder to the first baseman.
 
Nitschelm gave the Vikings an insurance run with a solo home run to left field to put them up 9-6.
 
Crawford got into some trouble in the bottom of the seventh after the first three batters reached via back-to-back singles and a hit by pitch. She induced a grounder to first base for the first out but a run scored bringing the score to 9-7 with two runners in scoring position.
 
Crawford then picked up her fourth strikeout of the game for the second out. Another grounder to Hendrickson at first base ended the game and secured the Vikings' first win of the season.
 
Crawford picked up her first win as a Viking going six complete innings. She allowed two earned runs on six hits while striking out four with no walks.
 
Nitschelm went 1-for-2 with two runs scored, two RBIs, and a home run. Pallan went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored.  
 
Game 2 – Fresno State 6, Portland State 1
 
The Vikings, and starting pitcher Karyn Wright, got into trouble early in the first inning against Fresno State. The first batter of the game for the Bulldogs reached base on a PSU error and came around to score on a fielder's choice. After Fresno State loaded the bases with one out, a sacrifice fly to left field drove in the second run of the game.
 
Portland State's third error of the inning loaded the bases with two outs. A double down the left field line cleared the bases and Fresno State was up 5-0 heading to the bottom of the first inning.
 
The Vikings got two runners in scoring position with two outs but were unable to drive in a run in the bottom half.
 
Fresno State's leadoff hitter reached in the second on a single through the right side. She then moved to second on a groundout before stealing third. She was driven in on another grounder to put the Bulldogs up 6-0.
 
Wright went 2 1/3 innings for the Vikings and allowed six runs, one earned, on three hits. She also walked five batters before being lifted for Raya Johnson with one out in the top of the third inning.
 
Johnson threw 4 2/3 shutout innings for the Vikings allowing just two hits and one walk. She threw 57 pitches, 35 of which were strikes.
 
The Vikings got on the board with an unearned run on a Hendrickson fielder's choice in the bottom of the seventh but it was not enough.
 
The Vikings fell to 1-1 on the season with the loss to the Bulldogs.
 
Portland State will play two more games tomorrow at the Kajikawa Classic. They will play UTEP at 11:15 a.m. MT before taking on San Jose State at 6:15 p.m. MT.
 
NOTES: Portland State walked five times in the first inning against Nevada … Portland State ended the game with nine walks for the game … Portland State's single-game high in 2014 was six walks.